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The Washington State Insurance Commissioner’s Office disciplined and issued fines in November 2018 totaling $700,500 against insurance companies, agents, brokers, and others who violated state insurance regulations.

Insurance companies

Dental Health Services, Seattle; fined $500,000.

The agency fined the dental insurer for:

Failing to identify and process 23 policyholders’ appeals.

Failing to identify and process 342 grievances from policyholders.

Erroneously canceling polices.

Double-charging 492 policyholders a total of $56,351. The company refunded the money with an additional $5,635 in interest.

Failing to deliver enrollment materials to 76 policyholders.

In addition to the fine, the agency is prohibiting the company from selling new policies for at least 12 months. After the probationary period, the company can ask the agency to allow it to sell policies if it completes compliance and corrective action plans to the agency’s satisfaction. The agency is suspending $400,000 of the fine and will impose additional penalties if the company fails to comply with the terms of the order.

The agency previously took action against Dental Health Services in 2017 and 2018. It fined the company $400,000 for mishandling consumer complaints and other issues.

American Pet Insurance Co., New York City; fined $10,000.

The agency imposed $10,000 of a suspended fine against the pet insurance company for failing to follow the compliance plan it agreed to in July 2016. The plan includes a self-audit, which revealed that one policyholder was charged the incorrect premium and eight policyholders didn’t receive the required 30-day notice for a rate change. Previously, $100,000 of the $250,000 was suspended to ensure compliance with the terms of the order. This is the first portion of the suspended fine that the agency has imposed on the company.

The agency disciplined the following companies for violating state insurance regulations:

A Washington state consumer complained to the agency when Insure Apple denied his claim for the loss of his iPhone. After a review, the agency found the company sold insurance without a license in Washington state. It illegally sold 37 policies for $4,436 in premiums.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.